Domestic refrigerator having a locally thermally insulated outer enclosure of an ice-maker and method for producing a domestic refrigerator

ABSTRACT

A domestic refrigerator has a housing in which is formed at least one food storage compartment, which is bounded by walls of a liner. An ice-maker has an outer enclosure that is separate from the liner and inserted in an insertion region of the liner. The outer enclosure of the ice-maker has at least one wall region with an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom. At least portions of an interspace between the inner wall and the outer wall contain a thermally insulating material. There is also described a method for producing a domestic refrigerator.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of Germanpatent application DE 10 2016 218 646.9, filed Sep. 28, 2016; the priorapplication is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a domestic refrigerator having a housing inwhich is formed at least one food storage compartment. The storagecompartment is bounded by walls of a liner of the domestic refrigerator.The domestic refrigerator also comprises an ice-maker. The ice-maker hasan outer enclosure, which is separate from the liner and is inserted inan insertion region of the liner. In addition, the invention alsorelates to a method for producing a domestic refrigerator.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,337,620 B2, for example, discloses a domesticrefrigerator of the type.

It is necessary particularly for domestic refrigerators in which theice-maker is disposed in a storage compartment designed to be a chillcompartment that this ice-maker is also suitably thermally insulatedwith respect to this chill compartment, in which higher temperatures arethen established. The liner, the walls of which bound this storagecompartment, is usually produced in a deep-drawing process. The outercontour of the outer enclosure of the ice-maker is also produced, forexample, in a suitable forming process. This can result in the materialthicknesses of the liner and/or even of the outer enclosure of theice-maker being relatively thin at specific points, and thereforerelatively low forces acting here may possibly cause unwanteddeformations or other damage to the components.

For such ice-makers disposed in the chill compartment of the domesticrefrigerator, it is known in the prior art to use for thermallyinsulating the ice-maker from the chill compartment an insulating foam,which is also introduced for thermal insulation between the liner and anouter shell of the housing. As a result of the usually very narrowregions between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker and the liner, itis difficult to introduce the thermal insulation foam there. Especiallyin the foaming processes which then take place, in which the outerenclosure of the ice-maker is already fitted at the insertion region ofthe liner, and this thermal insulation foam is meant to be introducedsubsequently into the interspace between the liner and the outer shelland also into the interspace between the outer enclosure of theice-maker and the liner of the domestic refrigerator, this means thatprecisely these regions between the outer enclosure of the ice-maker andthe liner cannot be filled with sufficient material and hence thethermal insulation also only is inadequately effective.

European published patent application EP 2 650 628 A2 discloses adomestic refrigerator in which an enclosure of an ice-maker, whichenclosure has an open side, is disposed in an insertion region of aliner. Again in this case, the outer enclosure, which is extensivelysingle-walled, is thermally insulated from the storage compartment in amanner that requires thermally insulating material to be introducedbetween the outer enclosure and a wall of the liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a refrigeratorand a production method which overcome the above-mentioned and otherdisadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of thisgeneral type and which, or by means of which, the thermal insulationbetween the ice-maker and the liner is improved.

With the above and other objects in view there is provided, inaccordance with the invention, a domestic refrigerator, comprising:

a housing formed with at least one food storage compartment, which isbounded by walls of a liner;

an ice-maker having an outer enclosure separate from the liner andinserted in the liner;

the outer enclosure of the ice-maker having at least one wall regionthat includes an inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart from theinner wall and forming an interspace therewith; and

a thermally insulating material disposed in at least portions of theinterspace between the inner wall and the outer wall is disposed athermally insulating material.

In other words, the domestic refrigerator according to the inventioncomprises a housing in which is formed at least one food storagecompartment. The storage compartment is bounded by walls of a liner ofthe domestic refrigerator. The domestic refrigerator also comprises anice-maker, which is disposed in particular outside the storagecompartment.

The ice-maker may be disposed in an alcove or a recess or an insertionregion of a liner, the walls of which bound the storage compartment. Theliner preferably comprises a hole or aperture through which theice-maker extends by its outer enclosure or against which it rests byits rear face. The ice-maker is accessible from the front so that it isaccessible only when a door that closes the storage compartment is open.The ice-maker comprises this front cover, which is a front viewingcomponent and constitutes a wall by means of which the ice-maker isthermally insulated also preferably with respect to the storagecompartment. The ice-maker is disposed at least such that a wall region,namely the cover, of the ice-maker, borders the storage compartmentdirectly. In particular, a storage container of the ice-maker isprovided, the front wall of which forms this wall region that directlyborders the storage compartment. This front wall is accessible inparticular only via a front loading aperture of the storage compartment.In particular, said ice-maker is disposed solely by this front wall inthe storage compartment and is otherwise disposed outside the storagecompartment.

The ice-maker comprises an outer enclosure, which is separate from theliner and is inserted or disposed in the liner, preferably in aninsertion region of the liner. A primarily important concept of theinvention can be considered to be that the outer enclosure of theice-maker has at least one wall region that comprises an inner wall andan outer wall spaced apart therefrom. This wall region, which borders inpart the volume of the outer enclosure and hence the interior of theouter enclosure, thus has a double-wall construction. In at leastportions of an interspace between this inner wall and the outer wall ofthis wall region is introduced or disposed a thermally insulatingmaterial. This embodiment of the outer enclosure thus already thermallyinsulates the outer enclosure itself locally such that with this outerenclosure disposed in the liner or in the insertion region of the liner,there is an improved thermal insulation between the ice-maker and thestorage compartment. Thus it is no longer necessary to introduce, orfully introduce, thermally insulating material between the outerenclosure of the ice-maker and the liner, as would be necessary in theprior art. By virtue of this construction, which is double-walled atleast in parts, and the thermally insulating material that then existsat this wall region, the outer enclosure itself is already inherentlydesigned to be suitably thermally insulated. Thus the invention means itis also possible that the outer enclosure itself initially is in theform of a separate installation module that has a suitable localthermally insulated design and can then be inserted subsequently intothe liner or the insertion region of the liner. Thus in addition to animproved thermal insulation effect, this also improves manufacture andthe procedure for fitting the ice-maker in the domestic refrigerator andsubsequent foaming processes, in which thermally insulating material isintroduced between the liner and an outer shell of the housing of thedomestic refrigerator.

It is preferably provided that a first wall region of this outerenclosure is a bottom wall of the outer enclosure. Thus in particularwhen the ice-maker is disposed in an insertion region formed in a topcorner region of the liner, the outer enclosure is oriented and disposedby a bottom wall and also a side wall towards the storage compartment.Therefore this bottom wall and this one side wall face the storagecompartment and are subject to a particular thermal insulation withrespect to the storage compartment. In this context it is thenpreferably also provided that a second wall region is a side wall of theouter enclosure. Thus in particular two wall regions of the outerenclosure that are arranged at an angle to one another have saiddouble-wall construction, and in the interspace in each wall region isdisposed a thermally insulating material. Specifically all the wallregions of the outer enclosure that face the storage compartment arethen already themselves suitably thermally insulated. It is hence nolonger necessary to introduce additionally a thermally insulatingmaterial between the outer enclosure and a wall region of the liner,which wall region is disposed adjacent to said outer enclosure.Furthermore, it can also be provided by this embodiment that the outerenclosure can be disposed such that the wall regions that have adouble-wall construction are directly adjacent to wall regions of theliner, so that then installation space can also be saved here.

It is provided in particular that the two wall regions of the outerenclosure that have a double-wall construction merge into each other andform a common contiguous and continuous total wall region. This totalwall region is designed to be L-shaped in cross-section. Thus the wallregions also have an extensive and continuous double-wall constructionand hence the thermally insulating material can also be introduced intothis interspace such that it fills this interspace fully andcontinuously.

It is provided in particular that the inner wall and the outer wall ofthe wall region are separate pieces. This embodiment can allow simplemanufacture of the outer enclosure especially in this wall region.

It is preferably provided that on an edge of the inner wall that facesthe outer wall is formed a strip-shaped connecting piece, which isdisposed in planar contact with, and overlapping, a connecting pieceformed on the outer wall, in particular on an edge of the outer wallthat faces the inner wall. This embodiment facilitates stablepositioning of the separate walls, and by virtue of said overlap alsoachieves a certain degree of sealing so that thermally insulatingmaterial introduced into the interspace cannot escape through thisinterface.

It is preferably provided that the strip-shaped connecting piece, inparticular the connecting piece that is formed on the edge of the innerwall, is part of an insertion slot into which is then inserted orplug-fitted the strip-shaped connecting piece on the edge of the outerwall. This further improves the aforementioned advantages.

It is provided in particular that at least one additional wall region ofthe outer enclosure that faces away from the storage compartment hasonly a single-wall construction. This single-wall structure is adequatehere since at these wall regions there is no need for extensive thermalinsulation with respect to the storage compartment. In particular it isintended here nonetheless that at least portions of an interspacebetween this additional wall region and the outer shell of the housingof the domestic refrigerator is again filled with thermally insulatingmaterial.

It is preferably provided that an additional wall region of the outerenclosure is a side wall of the outer enclosure that faces away from thestorage compartment, and an additional wall region of the outerenclosure is a top wall of the outer enclosure that faces away from thestorage compartment.

It can be provided that the outer enclosure has an enclosure elementdirectly bordering the interior volume of the outer enclosure, whichenclosure element is formed from a plurality of separate single parts.In particular, the enclosure element comprises a single-piece base trayas a single part, so that liquid collecting in the outer enclosure canbe captured here and there is no unwanted escape of this liquid. Thisprevents wetting or soaking of thermally insulating material locatedunder the base tray.

The double-walled wall region of the outer enclosure is bounded where itfaces the interior volume of the outer enclosure by a single part thatconstitutes in this double-walled wall region the inner wall of the wallregion. In addition, this inner wall of the double-walled wall region isalso formed at least in part by the base tray. In particular, the outerenclosure comprises as an additional single part an attachment, whichcomprises two separate cover pieces. The cover pieces each have a topwall and side walls attached thereto, both of said cover pieces beingconnected at the top walls by an assembly interface, in particular aplug-in connection.

Again in this case, overlapping strip-shaped connecting pieces can beprovided, in particular it can be provided that there is an insertionslot in which then the other strip-shaped connecting piece penetrates oris inserted.

In particular, the outer wall is formed from a single piece and inparticular has an L-shaped design. This makes the outer wall very robustand minimizes the number of components, and can also avoid an interfacefrom which insulating material might escape.

In particular, the outer wall is designed to have stiffening members, inparticular on an inner face that faces the inner wall. This means thatthe outer wall is even more resistant to deformation. In particular, thestiffening members are designed to be integral. The stiffening membersare preferably in the form of ribs. When the outer wall has an L-shapeddesign, the stiffening members run in particular across a transition inthe L-shape. This particularly reinforces specifically this transition.

In particular, the inner wall is composed of at least two separate wallpieces, which are joined to one another, in particular plug-fitted toone another, at a junction, said junction in particular having aninterlocking design. This means that the connection has a very sturdyand robust design. In particular, the base tray has a side wall on whichis formed a tooth pattern on an upper edge. In particular, a matingtooth pattern, which meshes with the tooth pattern, is formed on a loweredge of a vertical side wall of a cover piece of an attachment.

In addition, the invention also relates to a method for producing adomestic refrigerator, in which an outer enclosure of an ice-maker ofthe domestic refrigerator is disposed in a liner, which bounds a foodstorage compartment of the domestic refrigerator and is separate fromthe outer enclosure, preferably is disposed in an insertion region ofthe liner. The outer enclosure of the ice-maker is designed to have atleast one wall region that comprises an inner wall and an outer wallspaced apart therefrom. An interspace is produced between the inner walland the outer wall, at least portions of said interspace being filledwith a thermally insulating material prior to fitting the outerenclosure in the liner or in the insertion region of the liner. Inparticular, then the pre-assembly module formed thereby is only thensubsequently inserted into the liner or into the insertion region of theliner, and fitted there. The advantages that this can achieve havealready been presented above for the domestic refrigerator.

Advantageous embodiments of the domestic refrigerator according to theinvention shall be deemed advantageous embodiments of the method, inwhich case physical components of the domestic refrigerator are disposedand/or connected to one another correspondingly during production.

In particular, a thermally insulating material is not introduced into aninterspace between a liner and an outer shell of the housing of thedomestic refrigerator until the pre-assembly module of the ice-maker hasbeen fitted into this interspace.

The domestic refrigerator is preferably designed to have a first storagecompartment, which constitutes a chill compartment and on which isdisposed the ice-maker. The domestic refrigerator also comprises inparticular a second storage compartment, which is separate from thefirst storage compartment and is a freezer compartment. The at least onefirst storage compartment, viewed in the height direction of thedomestic refrigerator, is preferably disposed above the second storagecompartment. In particular, the first storage compartment can be closedby two separate doors, each of which can pivot about a vertical axis ofrotation. The second storage compartment can be closed in particular bya further door, which is separate from said storage compartment andwhich in particular is a front wall of a drawer or cart that can beinserted into the storage compartment and can be withdrawn.

The terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “horizontal, “vertical,”“depth direction,” “width direction,” “height direction” etc. define thepositions and orientations that apply when the appliance is used anddisposed as intended and for a viewer who is then standing in front ofthe appliance and looking towards the appliance.

The claims, the figures and the description of the figures containfurther features of the invention. The features and feature combinationsmentioned above in the description, and the features and featurecombinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/orshown solely in the figures can be used not just in the particularcombination stated but also in other combinations without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. The invention shall therefore bedeemed to include and disclose also embodiments that are not describedand shown explicitly in the figures but can be derived and produced fromthe described embodiments by separate feature combinations. Embodimentsand feature combinations that hence do not comprise all the features ofan independent claim in the original wording shall also be deemed to bedisclosed. Furthermore, embodiments and feature combinations that gobeyond or differ from the feature combinations presented in thedependency references of the claims shall be deemed to be disclosed, inparticular by the embodiments described above.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however,together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be bestunderstood from the following description of specific embodiments whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a domesticrefrigerator according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the domestic refrigerator of FIG. 1with the doors shown in FIG. 1 removed;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the view in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a liner of the domestic refrigeratorhaving an outer enclosure of an ice-maker of the domestic refrigerator,which outer enclosure is disposed in an insertion region of the liner;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the outerenclosure of the ice-maker;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the outer enclosure of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of a further exemplary embodiment of an outerenclosure; and

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 7 in the assembled state.

Identical or functionally identical parts are denoted by the samereference signs in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first,particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a schematic diagram adomestic refrigerator 1, which is designed for storing and conservingfood. The domestic refrigerator 1 is embodied as a combinedfridge-freezer appliance. It comprises a housing 2, in which is formed afirst storage compartment 4 (FIG. 2), which is a chill compartment. Inaddition, a second storage compartment 5 (FIG. 2), which is separatefrom the first storage compartment 4 and is a freezer compartment, isformed in the housing 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first storage compartment 4 can be closed by twoseparate doors 6 and 7, which can be operated independently of oneanother and can each pivot relative to the housing 2 about a verticalaxis, i.e. an axis oriented in the height direction (y-direction). Thesecond storage compartment 5 can be closed by a door 8, which again isseparate therefrom. The door 8 may be, for example, a front wall of adrawer that is mounted such that it can be inserted into the secondstorage compartment 5 and withdrawn.

In addition, the domestic refrigerator 1 comprises at least oneice-maker 9 (FIG. 2), which is disposed outside the first storagecompartment 4 and hence outside the chill compartment, and is designedto produce pieces of ice such as ice cubes or crushed ice.

It is provided in particular in the exemplary embodiment that thedomestic refrigerator 1 comprises a dispenser unit, which is designed tooutput at least pieces of ice. The dispenser unit 10 (FIG. 1) canadditionally be designed also to output liquid, in particular water orother beverages, in particular mixed beverages. It is provided in theexemplary embodiment that the dispenser unit 10 is designed to outputvia the door 6, so that pieces of ice or liquid can be output even oncethe door 6 is closed. For this purpose, the door 6 comprises a recess11, into which a receptacle, in particular a drinking vessel, can beplaced so that the relevant medium can be output via an output unit 12which belongs to the dispenser unit 10, is disposed in the door 6 anddischarges into the recess 11.

It can also be provided, however, that an output of this nature via thedoor 6 is not provided, and only the ice-maker 9 is present, forexample, which then is accessible only by opening the door 6. Pieces ofice that are produced can then be removed by withdrawing a storagecontainer described in greater detail below that belongs to theice-maker 9 and in which the pieces of ice are collected.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that the first storage compartment 4 is boundedby walls of a liner 13. This liner 13 comprises at its top left cornerregion 14 an insertion region 15, into which the ice-maker 9 isinserted. The ice-maker 9 is accessible only via the loading aperture ofthe first storage compartment 4. The ice-maker 9 extends in particularonly in part into the storage compartment 4, and hence through at leastone cutout or hole in the liner 13, the walls of which bound the storagecompartment 4. The ice-maker 9 is arranged at least such that a wallregion, in particular a cover, of the ice-maker 9, borders the storagecompartment 4 directly. In particular, a storage container of theice-maker 9 is provided, the front wall of which forms this wall regionthat directly borders the storage compartment 4. This front wall isaccessible in particular only via a front loading aperture of thestorage compartment 4.

The storage compartment 5 is likewise bounded by walls of a liner 3.

FIG. 3 shows the view of FIG. 2 in a vertical sectional view and hencein the x-y plane. It can be seen here that the ice-maker 9 comprises anouter enclosure 16, which is inserted into said insertion region 15.This recess or cavity formed in the liner 13 constitutes a receptaclecontaining this insertion region 15 into which said outer enclosure 16is preferably disposed such that it does not protrude upwards andlaterally beyond the extent of the liner 13.

This insertion region 15 is bounded with respect to the storagecompartment 4 by a side-wall region 17 of the liner 13 and by abottom-wall region 18 of the liner 13.

The outer enclosure 16 comprises two wall regions 19 and 20, which havea double-wall construction with a thermally insulating material 22introduced in an interspace 21 of said wall region 19 and also of saidwall region 20. It is already clear in FIG. 3 that a first wall region19 is a bottom wall of the outer enclosure 16, and a second wall region20 is a vertically upright side wall of the outer enclosure 16. Boththis bottom wall and this side wall of the outer enclosure 16, inparticular rectangular outer enclosure 16, shown in verticalcross-section are disposed facing the first storage compartment 4.

It can also be seen in FIG. 3 that this total wall region, whichcomprises the wall region 19 and 20, is L-shaped.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the liner 13 from behind looking ontothe insertion region 15 and outer enclosure 16 inserted therein.

FIG. 5 shows the outer enclosure 16 of the ice-maker 9 in a perspectiveview. This outer enclosure 16 comprises at the front a loading aperture23, into which a storage container 24 (FIG. 2) can be inserted andwithdrawn. The storage container 24 comprises a tray region and a frontwall, said front wall constituting a front cover of the loading aperture23 once the storage container 24 is inserted. The storage container 24is designed to take the pieces of ice produced in the outer enclosure 16by the ice-maker 9. In addition, an ice-cube tray is preferably alsodisposed in the outer enclosure 16, said ice-cube tray defining theshapes of the pieces of ice to be produced.

In addition, yet further components can also be disposed in the outerenclosure 16.

As shown in FIG. 5, the outer enclosure 16 is formed from a plurality ofsingle parts, with a base tray 25 being provided here on which ismounted an attachment 26. The attachment 26 likewise is againconstructed from multiple parts and comprises a first cover piece 27 anda second cover piece 28 connected thereto. In particular, the coverpieces 27 and 28 are connected together, in particular plug-fitted toone another, at an interface 29. In addition, the cover pieces 27 and 28are joined, in particular plug-fitted, to the base tray 25 at furtherinterfaces 30 and 31.

As shown in FIG. 5, this double-walled wall region comprising the firstwall region 19 and the second wall region 20 extends over the fullheight of the side wall of the cover piece 28 and also extends furtherunder the base tray 25. This again illustrates the L-shape clearly.

It is clear from FIG. 6, which shows a vertical sectional view and hencea sectional view in the x-y plane of FIG. 5, that this wall region 19comprises an inner wall 32, spaced apart from which is an outer wall 33.In the example shown, the inner wall 32 for this first wall region 19 isformed by the bottom wall of the base tray 25.

In addition, for the second wall region 20, an inner wall 34 is formedby the vertical side wall of the attachment 26, in particular of thesecond cover piece 28, which cover piece faces the first storagecompartment 4. An outer wall 35 of the second wall region 20 isintegrally connected to the outer wall 33, and also this outer wall 35is accordingly spaced apart from the inner wall 34. In addition, as isalso clear from FIG. 6, the outer wall 35 is accordingly joined to theinner wall 34 in the top region at an interface, in particular likewiseagain disposed such that they overlap one another, thereby preventing anescape of the thermally insulating material 22 from this interspace 21.There is also corresponding provision between the outer wall 33 and thebase tray 25.

Once the outer enclosure 16 is assembled it is therefore no longernecessary to introduce a thermally insulating material between the outerwall 35 and the wall region 17, and between the outer wall 33 and thewall segment 18 of the liner 13. Said wall regions or wall segments canthen also be disposed at a minimum separation from one another or evenpositioned directly adjacent to one another.

Once this pre-assembly module shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 in the form ofthe outer enclosure 16 together with the thermally insulated total wallregion comprising the two wall regions 19 and 20 is fitted, thermallyinsulating material is subsequently introduced into an interspace 36(FIG. 3) between the liner 13 and an outer shell 37 of the housing 2,and thermally insulating material is introduced between the liner 3, 13and this outer shell 37, and thermally insulating material is introducedbetween the outer enclosure 16 and the outer shell 37. This means thatboth the outer enclosure 16 and the liners 3 and 13 are enclosed by foamin the housing 2.

Wall regions 38, 39 that face away from the storage compartment 4, inparticular a side wall and a top wall, of the outer enclosure 16 haveonly a single-wall construction.

FIG. 7 shows in an exploded view the outer enclosure 16 in anotherexemplary embodiment. Again in this case the wall regions 19 and 20 areformed as an L-shape. In particular, the outer walls 33 and 35 areformed from a single piece. On an inner face 33 a of the outer wall 33,and on an inner face 35 a of the outer wall 35 are integrally formed aplurality of stiffening members 40, in particular as longitudinal ribs.The stiffening members 40 are oriented parallel to one another and eachextent contiguously also across a transition of the L-shape between abottom leg of the L-shape and an upright leg of the L-shape.

It is also provided in particular that the base tray 25 comprises inaddition to the bottom wall a side wall 41, which faces the outer wall35. A tooth pattern 41 a is formed on an upper edge of this side wall41. Once the outer enclosure is assembled, which situation is shown inFIG. 8, this tooth pattern 41 a meshes with a mating tooth pattern 34 aand hence forms a junction 42. The mating tooth pattern 34 a is formedon a lower edge of the cover piece 28.

The following is a summary list of reference numerals and thecorresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:

1 domestic refrigerator

2 housing

3 liner

4 first storage compartment

5 second storage compartment

6 door

7 door

8 door

9 ice-maker

10 dispenser unit

11 recess

12 output unit

13 liner

14 left corner region

15 insertion region

16 outer enclosure

17 side-wall region

18 bottom-wall region

19 wall region

20 wall region

21 interspace

22 insulating material

23 loading aperture

24 storage container

25 base tray

26 attachment

27 cover piece

28 cover piece

29 interface

30 interface

31 interface

32 inner wall

33 outer wall

33 a inner face

34 inner wall

34 a mating tooth pattern

35 outer wall

35 a inner face

36 interspace

37 outer shell

38 wall region

39 wall region

40 stiffening member

41 side wall

41 a tooth pattern

42 junction

1. A domestic refrigerator, comprising: a housing formed with at leastone food storage compartment, which is bounded by walls of a liner; anice-maker having an outer enclosure separate from said liner andinserted in said liner; said outer enclosure of said ice-maker having atleast one wall region that includes an inner wall and an outer wallspaced apart from said inner wall and forming an interspace therewith;and thermally insulating material disposed in at least portions of saidinterspace between said inner wall and said outer wall is disposed athermally insulating material.
 2. The domestic refrigerator according toclaim 1, wherein said ice-maker is inserted into an insertion region ofsaid liner.
 3. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1, whereinsaid at least one wall region includes a first wall region being a floorof said outer enclosure.
 4. The domestic refrigerator according to claim3, wherein said at least one wall region includes a second wall regionbeing a side wall of said outer enclosure.
 5. The domestic refrigeratoraccording to claim 4, wherein said first and second wall regions mergeinto each other and form a common L-shaped total wall region.
 6. Thedomestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said inner wall andsaid outer wall are separate pieces.
 7. The domestic refrigeratoraccording to claim 6, which comprises a first strip-shaped connectingpiece formed on an edge of said inner wall that faces said outer wall,said first strip-shaped connecting piece being in planar contact withand overlapping a second connecting piece formed on said outer wall. 8.The domestic refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein said secondstrip-shaped connecting piece is formed on an edge of said outer wallthat faces said inner wall.
 9. The domestic refrigerator according toclaim 1, wherein at least one additional wall region of said outerenclosure that faces away from said storage compartment has only asingle-wall construction.
 10. The domestic refrigerator according toclaim 9, wherein said at least one additional wall region is a side wallof said outer enclosure that faces away from said storage compartment,and/or said at least one additional wall region is a top wall of saidouter enclosure that faces away from said storage compartment.
 11. Thedomestic refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein said outer enclosurehas an enclosure element directly bordering an interior volume of saidouter enclosure, and wherein said enclosure element is formed from aplurality of separate single parts.
 12. The domestic refrigeratoraccording to claim 1, wherein said outer wall is formed from a singlepiece and has an L-shaped design.
 13. The domestic refrigeratoraccording to claim 1, wherein said outer wall has stiffening members.14. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 13, wherein saidstiffening members are integrally formed on an inner face that facessaid inner wall.
 15. The domestic refrigerator according to claim 1,wherein said inner wall is composed of at least two separate wallpieces, which are joined to one another at an interlocking joint. 16.The domestic refrigerator according to claim 15, wherein said separatewall pieces are plug-fitted to one another at a junction.
 17. A methodfor producing a domestic refrigerator, the refrigerator having anice-maker with an outer enclosure disposed in a liner, the linerbounding a food storage compartment of the refrigerator and beingseparate from the outer enclosure; the method comprising: forming theouter enclosure of the ice-maker with at least one wall region that hasan inner wall and an outer wall spaced apart therefrom, the inner andouter walls being disposed to form an interspace therebetween; fillingat least portions of the interspace with a thermally insulating materialprior to fitting the outer enclosure into the liner.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 17, which comprises providing the liner with aninsertion region and inserting the outer enclosure in the insertionregion.
 19. The method according to claim 18, which comprises insertingand fitting a pre-assembly module formed after filling the interspacewith the thermally insulating material into the insertion region of theliner.